His name was Daniel.He died for a reason.A reason that should be heard.We are looking to use his death to save the lives of others.

Those are the words of a heartbroken mum who wants everyone to know why her son took his own life.

Josephine Holloway says his death is in the public interest.

She wants to raise awareness of an 'illness' which destroys lives, regardless of geography or borders.

Daniel Clinkscales lived in Tiverton, Devon, but his body was found by police at the bottom of the Avon Gorge in the early hours of On October 12, 2017.

Now, Daniel’s family do not just want his death to be remembered - but also to raise awareness of the 'illness' that contributed to a “very clever young man, full of passion” killing himself.

“His name was Daniel, he died that night for a reason - a reason that should be heard, that is in the public interest,” said mum Josephine Holloway, reports The Bristol Post.

“We are looking to use his death to save the lives of others.

"He had an addictive illness – a gambling addiction that drove him to gamble when he didn’t want to, to keep gambling when his losses were huge and to gamble until he had nothing left to lose. The only thing that stopped him was running out of money.

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"Only when he was broke did he feel for a short while ‘relieved’ and free of the intense hold it had on him until – as he said- the next payday loomed.”

Mrs Holloway, 62, was speaking after the inquest in to her son’s death, held at Flax Bourton Coroner’ Court on Friday January 11.

She told the Bristol Post how her son, a regional sales manager who dealt with millions of pounds for work, had lost his entire £43,000 income to gambling in the year before his death.

Daniel, who lived in Tiverton but had been in Bristol for work, had spent just £18 on one pair of Tesco shoes for himself in the 12 months before he died, because so much of his money was going towards gambling, his mum said.

Despite the havoc wreaked by gambling on Daniel’s life, his family still did not know exactly what kind of gambling his addiction involved - all they know is it started with fruit machines.

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There are around 400,000 problem gamblers in the UK, according to the Gambling Commission, and more than 2million people are thought to be at risk of addiction.

Coroner Dr Peter Harrowing concluded that Daniel had killed himself after his BMW car was found by police parked near the Avon Gorge in the early hours of October 12, with a phone and iPad locked inside. Another phone, a bottle of vodka and a set of BMW car keys were also found near the cliff edge.

Dr Harrowing said: “It is clear to me, from the evidence provided to me and from the note that Daniel left, that he could not face the future and I believe that was down to his gambling addiction. “

“From the evidence I’ve heard, I’m satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that Daniel did take a deliberate action. It was his intention to end his life and so his life was ended as a result.”

The official conclusion recorded was that Daniel died by suicide.

Avon Coroner’s Court heard that police officers had been searching for Daniel as ‘vulnerable missing person’. His body was found at the foot of the Sea Walls in Avon Gorge, near the Clifton Suspension Bridge, just after 3am.

Daniel’s family – his mum, dad, stepdad, nan, and aunt - sat in court and heard the evidence about his death, but for them the real issue did not receive the right attention.

Mrs Holloway said: “We stand here before you today, grieving and sick with loss, full of fear and trepidation, feeling like this is something so enormous, that there is so much to say about it, but we have only this one moment in time, just one tiny chance, to say a few choice words, make a family statement, in a court which we are informed is ‘not the place’.

“The disease, the effects of the disease, who and how many have it, how to handle it and what to watch out for, are a matter of public interest and we are searching for those prepared to expose it and become an instrument for change.”

Daniel’s family are calling for a change to the procedure in coroner’s courts to officially record not just the cause of death but also factors that might have contributed to a suicide – gambling addiction, for example.

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They hope this small change could help record more accurate statistics about illnesses like gambling addiction, change government policy and potentially save lives.

Mrs Holloway added: “We have used our family statement at these formal legal proceedings, not to talk to this inquest about our deep love for him and our precious memories of him, but to raise awareness of the dangers of gambling addiction, in an attempt to reduce suicides in such cases in the future and save other families from the devastation it leaves behind.”

Daniel’s mum asked the coroner if she could read her statement to the court, but was told she could not.

The family's concerns have been echoed by the independent charity GambleAware, which aims to minimise gambling-related harm in the UK.

Chief executive of the charity Marc Etches said: "Tragically, too many families find out too late that a loved one was struggling with a gambling problem. It’s all too easy to miss the signs that what is harmless fun for some can have serious, even deadly, consequences for others.

"With 430,000 addicts across the UK and another 2 million at risk, this hidden addiction takes its toll on relationships, jobs and mental health.

"Our hearts go out to Daniel’s friends and family.

"Gambling addiction is a recognised mental health condition but treatment isn’t currently provided on the NHS. However, free help is available. ARA in Bristol is part of a national treatment network funded by GambleAware, the leading UK charity providing research into and treatment for gambling addiction."

If you are worried about a friend or family member, or your own gambling, you can get support and advice at BeGambleAware.org or by calling the National Problem Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020133.

The Samaritans can be reached round the clock, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. If you need a response immediately, it’s best to call them on the phone. You can reach them by calling 116 123, by emailing jo@samaritans.org or by visiting www.samaritans.org .